Police Officers Who Raided Bars in Violation of Shutdown Rules During COVID-19 Accused of Pilfering Booze, Drinking it in a ‘Man Cave’
Police officers face charges in wake of being accused of hoarding stolen liquor in a “man cave” in a Long Island parking garage. (Photo: Niall Carson/PA Wire URN:6302728)
The City NYC reported that seven Long Island Sheriffs resigned in the face of “substantiated allegations” from the Department of Investigation that they stole booze during raids of bars and clubs in violation of Pandemic lockdown regulations, hid the stolen liquor in a Long Island City garage and drank them in what they called their “man cave.”
The Department of Investigation initiated what they referred to as the “Booze Patrol” probe in May 2023, after 12 members of the Long Island Sheriff’s Office faced suspension without pay over allegations of stealing the confiscated hooch.
“This serious breach of public trust will not be tolerated and we will not allow it to undermine the hardworking men and women of the Sheriff’s Office and their mission to keep New Yorkers safe,” Department of Finance spokesperson Ryan Lavis said, according to The City NYC.
The City NYC reported that some of the liquor that was seized and found inside the man cave was “high end.” Some footage in the garage showed sheriffs stocking bottles of liquor in their cars before driving off.
The seven officers who resigned in the wake of the probe are Sgt. Richard Leblond; Deputy Sheriffs Rusheim Jones, David Singh, Kamil Krawczyk and Randy Alvarado; and Investigator Michael Trano, per the Department of Investigation report. Another sheriff, Derek Skuzenski, was hired in another position as commissioner of public safety. The position boasts a $140,000 annual salary in North Hempstead, Long Island. The organization stood by its decision to hire Skuzenski.
“At no time during that process were we made aware of any cause for concern,” said a spokesperson for the Public Safety Commission in North Hempstead, Long Island.
The DOI’s probe gave the organization access to phone and financial records, interviews, video footage and site visits. Once inside the “man cave” the organization found a fridge, a file cabinet, a liquor collection, beer, wine, soda, hookahs and snacks. The report alleges that the officers placed cardboard boxes blocking the view of several security cameras, so they wouldn’t see what activities took place inside the area. Due to these findings, the organization concluded its probe and pushed it to the district attorney.
“DOI substantiated allegations that deputy sheriffs removed seized alcohol for personal use or gain,” a memo for the organization read.
The DOI shared its report with the Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz, and she declined to press charges against the officers.
“We conducted an extensive investigation and concluded that there was not legally sufficient evidence to bring criminal charges,” a spokesperson for Katz’s office informed The City NYC in a statement.
The City NYC reported that the DOI brought internal charges against a dozen sheriffs within Long Island. Multiple officers faced a 30-day suspension over accusations of the alleged thefts.
Three cases for Sergeant Furney Canteen II and Deputy Sheriffs Elisson Jimenez and Timothy Lo ended up going to disciplinary hearings. The judge recommended terminating Deputy Sheriff Jimenez from his position. Jimenez ended up appealing the decision, and was charged with 12 counts of stealing liquor but was only found guilty of two. As for Canteen and Lo, the judges recommended dropping all charges.
Canteen claimed that video footage of him holding a liquor bottle was simply a gift he was giving one of his coworkers, but he was unable to procure any receipts for the liquor.
“I’m thrilled with the report and recommendation with regards to the Lo and Canteen matters. They asserted all along they were never guilty from day one and were looking to have their chance to prove their innocence in court,” the attorney for the two deputy sheriffs said.
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